Stained
by Shinomori Akame
Summary: Gomen nasai, i didn't mean to take so long! here's the third chapter,enjoy! I don't own RK, i WISH i did, but i don't. no sue! i has no $! arigato!
1. Kaoru's Misfortune

Stained  
  
Kaoru walked as fast as her weakened legs could. She had been missing all night and desperately needed to get home to be near Kenshin. 'I've got to move faster! Damn these injuries!' She finally reached the dojo and entered as quietly as she could, but Kenshin saw her anyway.  
  
"Kaoru, where were you? We were all so worried, even little Ayame and Suzume were looking for you. Are you all right?" then he embraced her tightly. As he did so she whimpered a little, which was heard by Kenshin. He released her and looked at her bowed head. "Kaoru?" she looked up at him and his eyes widened. "Kaoru, what happened to you??" Kaoru had a black eye, fat lip, a bruise on her cheek and a gash from chin to ear on the other cheek.  
  
"N-nothing, I'm fine, really." She replied shyly.  
  
"You're not a good liar Kaoru, what happened. Tell me, please." He almost pleaded to her. He saw the tears well up in her eyes.  
  
"I'm going to go get some sleep, okay? I really need some sleep."  
  
"Alright, would you like me to stay with you?"  
  
"No, that's alright, Arigato for the offer, Kenshin but I really need to be alone right now." With that she turned around and walked back to her room.  
  
About an hour after she fell asleep, Kaoru began screaming in her dreams. "NO! PLEASE DON'T! NO LEAVE ME ALONE! PLEASE! OH GODS SOMEONE HELP ME! AHHHHHH!"  
  
Kenshin ran to her immediately. "KAORU! Kaoru wake up! Please wake up!"  
  
She jolted awake, tears streaming down her face. Kenshin soothingly rubbed her back, whispering softly into her ear. "Kaoru, it's alright, Shhh, it's okay…"  
  
"No Kenshin, please, just leave me alone."  
  
"Kaoru tell me, please, what is troubling you so?"  
  
"I can't tell you, okay?! I just can't!" tears fell faster down her cheeks.  
  
"Alright Kaoru, I'll go get Megumi-dono to check your wounds. We'll return shortly." He said with a pained look on his face and the same amount of pain in his voice.  
  
He returned with Megumi as he said and she found Kaoru lying on her futon crying. "Kaoru? What's wrong?"  
  
"Megumi?"  
  
"Yes, it's me, what's wrong? Why won't you let Kenshin anywhere near you?"  
  
"Because I can't tell him what happened, I just can't….. I don't know what he'll do or if I can even be around a man ever again!"  
  
"Kaoru, you're not making any sense, what's going on?"  
  
"Okay, well, uhm, these injuries are because……. I was attacked last night on my way home from my nightly walk. H-he… he r-raped me but didn't have the damn courage to kill me, now I have to live with this for the rest of my life!" she cried into Megumi's shoulder. "Oh Kaoru, it'll be alright. Let me lok you over and I'll take care of it."  
  
"Okay, but please don't tell Kenshin about my being raped, just say I was attacked, I'll tell him when and if I'm ready."  
  
"Deal."  
  
After Megumi finished her examination of Kaoru, she came out of her room to talk to Kenshin. There was something he needed to know about.  
  
"Uhm, Kenshin? I think we need to talk."  
  
"Is Kaoru alright Megumi-dono? What's wrong??"  
  
"She's fine, but she'll be in a lot of pain. I know she'll be avoiding you for a while but bear with her, she's going through a tough time. She needs you around her but not too closely. Okay?  
  
"Yes, what happened to her?"  
  
"She was attacked last night. That's why she didn't come home until today. I want to see her in my clinic in one month, okay?"  
  
"Yes, of course. I'll get her there. Good bye Megumi-dono, and thank you."  
  
"No problem Kenshin, take good care of her."  
  
"I will try."  
  
Kenshin silently walked into Kaoru's room. She was sitting up in her futon, her back facing him and she was brushing her hair staring off into space.  
  
"Kaoru?" he said as he put a hand on her shoulder. She immediately pulled away from him, afraid he'd do what Saito had, even though she knew Kenshin would never do that, he loves her too much.  
  
"Kaoru" I-is there anything I can do for you?"  
  
"No, arigato anyway, I just, uhm, i… I don't know what I need." She put her hands to her face and started crying again. Kenshin wrapped her in a loose hug as to not hit a wound or to upset her anymore than she already was. She must be hiding something from him, but he didn't want to press the issue. 'She'll tell me when she's ready. I just hope that's soon, I want to help her. I love her too much to let her keep hurting.' He thought and just held her until her crying ceased and she fell asleep once again.  
  
One month passed all too quickly. Kaoru started to be more normal around Kenshin and things were almost back to normal between the couple. Megumi had just finished Kaoru's check up and now they where having minor chitchat. Megumi had an odd inkling she needed to prove right or wrong.  
  
"So how have you been Kaoru?" she asked.  
  
"Well, actually I've been feeling a little sick in the mornings and get really tired in the afternoons, but then I'm fine, it's really weird. What's wrong with me?"  
  
"Hmmm…" she eyed Kaoru carefully. "Have you been having odd cravings for different foods?"  
  
"Yes, how did you know?"  
  
"Before I answer you, I have a question. Have you slept with Kenshin?" she raised an eyebrow at Kaoru and her little fox ears appeared on her head. Kaoru's face turned a deep shade of red.  
  
"Not that it's any of your business but no! I still haven't even told him I was raped, and you think I'm gonna sleep with him? Ha!" Megumi's eyes widened and the ears went away.  
  
"Uhm, well then this is going to be a big shock. Kaoru, you're…. You're…… you're pregnant."  
  
"W-WHAT? How can that be?! No! I can't be pregnant! That means Saito's the father! Oh Gods! What will I tell Kenshin? I'm carrying his greatest enemy's child! Nooo! This can't be happening!" she sobbed into Megumi's shoulder once again.  
  
"Shhhhh…. It'll be okay, he won't love you any less, I promise you, he'll be there for you, but we have to tell him the whole story. Don't worry, it'll all be alright, shhh….." said her dear friend and surrogate older sister.  
  
"Are you sure?" asked Kaoru in a small voice.  
  
"Positive." 


	2. The Terrible Truth

Kaoru and Megumi walked silently back to the dojo, both lost on thought.  
  
//Poor girl, this is a lot for her to take in, and now she has to tell the  
  
man she loves. I wonder how Kenshin will take it.// thought Megumi,  
  
glancing at Kaoru every now and then.  
  
At that moment, Kaoru was thinking the same thing. // How can I ever show my  
  
face to him again? Will he still love me? How will I tell him?// They  
  
finally made it back to the dojo and went inside. Kenshin was preparing  
  
dinner like he did every night.  
  
"Ah, Kaoru, you're home! Hello Megumi-dono. So how are you Kaoru? Everything  
  
looking all right?" he asked in his sweet Rurouni tone.  
  
Kaoru looked down at the ground, willing back the tears that threatened to  
  
fall. Megumi spoke up. "We'll talk during dinner." Kenshin started to get a  
  
little worried. "All right."  
  
**  
  
Dinner was soon served and the three sat down to eat. Kaoru remained silent.  
  
"Megumi-dono, what's wrong with Kaoru? What's the problem?" Kenshin asked  
  
with much worry in his voice now.  
  
"Well," Megumi was cut off by Kaoru.  
  
"No Megumi. Kenshin, I think I should tell you myself." She took a deep  
  
breath and spoke again. "Do you remember when I was attacked last month?"  
  
"Yes….,"  
  
"Well, I wasn't just attacked…. I…. I was….. Raped too." She broke down and  
  
began to cry again. Kenshin sat there stunned, wide-eyed and his mouth  
  
hanging open slightly.  
  
"W-what?!" Kenshin whispered in shock. "Who did it? Kaoru, why didn't you  
  
tell me?" Ken asked, his voice growing stronger. "Please, you have to tell  
  
me everything! This man will pay dearly! How dare they!" he scooted over to  
  
Kaoru and held her in his arms tightly. "Oh Kaoru, don't cry, I hate seeing  
  
you cry. It'll be all right, just please tell me everything."  
  
Kaoru continued sobbing while Kenshin held her. It took many minutes before  
  
she could speak in broken words.  
  
"Well, when I was walking home that night from my usual walk," Kaoru started  
  
off, looking up, "I was suddenly hit on the head and knocked out. When I  
  
woke up, I was in a hotel somewhere with a man on top of me, fondling me. He  
  
was half dressed as was I. He had untied my kimono but left it on my body  
  
and taken his shirt off. He kept telling me how beautiful I was and he  
  
was always kissing me. Unfortunately, I could feel that he was getting  
  
excited. He stood up, took off his pants and that's when he took me. That's  
  
when he entered me." Kaoru dropped her head and looked away from Kenshin,  
  
feeling foolishly ashamed. "I hated him. I wanted to yell but I couldn't  
  
because if he wasn't kissing me, he had his hand over my mouth to keep me  
  
quiet. He just kept thrusting and thrusting and thrusting and it hurt so  
  
much I thought I was going to die. Finally, the man reached his peak and  
  
spilled into me…. Kenshin…. I-I'm….. P-pregnant….." She let her voice trail  
  
off. She couldn't look at him at all now.  
  
Kenshin had gone pale during Kaoru's tale but seeing his love in such a state  
  
drove him to speak again.  
  
"W-w-what? Oh gods! Kaoru, are you all right? This must be so hard for you."  
  
Kenshin murmured, holding her again.  
  
"You're not mad at me?" she asked weakly.  
  
"Of course not! Kaoru how can I be mad at you? You were not a willing  
  
partner in this. But will you please tell me who did this to you?" Kenshin  
  
asked, his hands unconsciously reaching for his sword.  
  
At this point Megumi stood up from the low table and spoke. "Perhaps I  
  
should leave you two to discuss this alone. Thank you for having me over for  
  
dinner, it was delicious Kenshin." Megumi nodded at Kaoru encouragingly.  
  
"Oh, all right Megumi-dono, you're welcome and we'll see you later." said  
  
Kenshin as she turned and walked out of the dojo.  
  
He then turned back to Kaoru still in his arms, anger suddenly flaring in  
  
his eyes, giving a slight hue of amber. "Please Kaoru, tell me who did this  
  
to you. He will pay greatly for hurting you like that!"  
  
"Kenshin…... I- I don't know if I should tell you his name!. You'll kill him  
  
and then what?" Kaoru asked, her voice cracking. "Don't..."  
  
"Of course I will!" Kenshin declared, his voice turning grave.  
  
"Kenshin no! Don't break your vow because of me! I wouldn't be able to live  
  
with myself if you did!" Kaoru cried. Kenshin will leave her if he became  
  
Battousai again.  
  
Kenshin sighed and reluctantly agreed.  
  
"He will live. I promise you that. But he will only live because I love you  
  
so much."  
  
"Thank you Ken-chan, I love you too……."  
  
"So who was it?" he asked again.  
  
"It was….. It was, uhm, Saito..." she whispered the name in hopes Kenshin  
  
wouldn't really hear her, but unfortunately, it didn't work. His eyes turned  
  
full amber and he let go of Kaoru, jumping to his feet while gripping his  
  
sakabatou.  
  
"WHAT? SAITO IS THE FATHER? OH THAT'S IT! THAT KAMI-DAMNED WOLF IS ABOUT TO  
  
BE FIXED!!!!" He was shaken from his ranting by a shocked Kaoru.  
  
"HIMURA KENSHIN! You just promised me you wouldn't kill him, please calm  
  
down. I'm alive aren't I? I want him dead as much as you do but I will not  
  
allow it to happen! He may be our enemy but if I can forgive him, you can  
  
too, got it?" Kaoru said strongly. The aura of the true Kaoru, the master of  
  
the Kamiya dojo glowed brightly from the woman. It was now Kenshin's turn to  
  
be shocked. Then he sighed, sat back down and set aside his sword.  
  
"I'm sorry. You're right I did promise you. He will live, just severely  
  
battered." He calmed himself down and continued speaking. "But Kaoru, we  
  
need to do something, pretty soon you will begin to show your pregnancy and  
  
society does not look kindly on unmarried pregnant women. Will you marry me?  
  
I love you so much. I had intended on waiting a little longer before I asked  
  
you, but now it is necessary and I will not pass this up. I'll be a good  
  
husband and a good father to this baby, no matter who the real father is."  
  
Kenshin declared sincerely, his undying love shining in his violet eyes.  
  
Kaoru was shocked still as his words but soon all the joy that she had lost  
  
flowed out of her as she cried happily.  
  
"Oh Kenshin, of course I'll marry you! And this baby may not be a result of  
  
yours and my joining, it will forever be yours and my child." Kaoru smiled  
  
through her tears. Kenshin leaned closer and wped away her tears before he  
  
kissed her. They shared a deep and passionate kiss before Kenshin pulled  
  
away.  
  
"Aishiteru." Kenshin said.  
  
"Aishiteru Kenshin." smiled Kaoru.  
  
The two sat there, looking at each other happily before the moon rose high  
  
and they had clean up and retire to their beds. 


	3. Confronting the Father

Kaoru took a deep breath to steady herself. The small dim waiting room was  
  
practically devoid of people except for the one lone man who worked the  
  
small desk in the back. A few dusty wooden chairs lined the wall along the  
  
side where a curtained window let in shafts of sunlight. Kaoru took a few  
  
more breaths before speaking.  
  
"I'd like to speak with Captain Hajime please." Kaoru requested politely,  
  
her nervousness only apparent in the queasyness in her stoamch. She placed a  
  
small calloused hand over her belly to calm the feeling.  
  
The man looked up at her and replied in a polite but slightly bored tone  
  
that had probably said the same thing to anyone who had asked the same  
  
thing.  
  
"I'm sorry miss, he's busy right now, you'll have to come back some other -"  
  
He was cut off sudenly as the door behind him opened. Kaoru stiffened,  
  
pursed her lips together till they turned almost white and waited. Saito had  
  
walked out.  
  
"That won't be necessary, she can come in now." Saito gazed at Kaoru  
  
longingly. Kaoru clenched her jaw as he stepped aside to allow Kaoru to  
  
step into his office. She shoved aside her nervousness for anger as she  
  
walked in.  
  
Inside the medium sized office, Kaoru remained standing by the door. Saito  
  
closed it for privacy and gestured to a chair but Kaoru declined icily.  
  
"No, thank you." she said coldly as she glared at the man.  
  
"What's with the icy tone Kaoru?" Saito asked, standing as well.  
  
"You know what Saito?" Kaoru began in the same tone as before. "At the  
  
moment I seriously don't want to be here, but it's rather important."  
  
Saito looked at her and saw in her eyes what she had come to say.  
  
"About that, I-" he was cut off by Kaoru.  
  
"Just shut up and let me talk." Kaoru commanded. She was not going to lose  
  
her confidence now. Not when it's this important. "I just wanted to let you  
  
know I'm pregnant. I hope you're happy, _daddy_." Kaoru spat in anger. The  
  
word had left a vile taste in her mouth when it applied to Hajime Saito.  
  
Saito stood there looking at her in disbelief.  
  
"What? How do you know I'm the father??" he managed to ask.  
  
"You're the only man who has had me!!" Kaoru hissed. "Kenshin is waiting  
  
until we're married."  
  
"Himura? Well, if you're pregnant with my child, shouldn't you be marrying  
  
me?" Saito asked in confusion.  
  
"Honestly Saito, do you think I'd actually marry you?" Kaoru replied in  
  
disgust. "I didn't have a say in this whole thing, remember? You _raped_ me.  
  
But I'm not holding that against this child. This child is not going to be  
  
punished for what _you_ did. He or she will grow up in a loving and caring  
  
family where his or her mother and father _love_ each other. I've forgiven  
  
you... But I can't trust you Saito. Not now, not ever. When the child is old  
  
enough, I will tell them how they were conceived. Do we agree on that?"  
  
Saito remained silent as he digested all of this. Finally he replied.  
  
"Yes, fine." Saito replied. he paused as to consider his next words before  
  
speaking once more. "May I at least visit?" it was Kaoru's turn to be  
  
silent. She nodded.  
  
"Yes, you can visit. I will not deny you that. Now, why did you do it?" she  
  
asked a bit tired.  
  
His features softened a little when he studied her figure in front of her.  
  
"I did it because I love you Kaoru. But you're in love with that puny, sorry  
  
excuse for a man." Kaoru narrowed her eyes.  
  
"That man is the most loyal, loving, and compassionate man alive." Kaoru  
  
defended Kenshin. "Just remember he can still kick your ass." she added.  
  
"I know." Saito replied. "But that couldn't stop me from loving you. I knew  
  
I wouldn't get you any other way."  
  
"No, you're right. You had no change against Kenshin." Kaoru replied surely.  
  
"There is your explanation. Happy now?"  
  
"No." Kaoru replied softly. "It's going to take a long time before I can be  
  
happy again. But Kenshin will try to help. He always does." Kaoru answered.  
  
She turned to go. She got to the door and was about to open it and leave  
  
when his voice stopped her.  
  
"When can I visit?"  
  
"Once a month during my pregnancy. We'll discuss visiting the child itself  
  
afterwards." Kaoru replied, not looking back at him.  
  
"Thank you Kaoru." Saito said softly. Kaoru didn't answer as she opened the  
  
door and walked out, closing it behind her. Saito went to his chair and sat  
  
there. He reached over and lit a cigarette. He remained there, smoking his  
  
cigarette till it was gone before returning to his work.  
  
  
  
A/N: Konnichi wa! Akame here, I know, I know. Major OOC. But it's a fanFICTION. It doesn't have to go with the anime story line. Anyway, sorry it always takes me so long to update. Don't forget about my story, it's my baby! The chapters will get longer & in the next chapter, maybe 2 chapters away I'll have Kenshin & Kaoru's wedding! Yay!  
  
I'd like to thank my beta reader and good friend Meesa. I love you Meesa!! 


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